State Aviation Museum Kiev

TheState Aviation Museum.
Museums across Ukraine play a vital role in preserving the history and the culture of the country, and one part of its heritage that should not be overlooked, is its magnificent relationship with the aviation industry. Because of the significance of aviation, the State Aviation Museum opened its doors to the public, under directorship of Yuriy Ziatdinov, on 30 September 2003. The museum has welcomed thousands of visitors and is one of the recommended attractions in Kiev today

The State Aviation Museum is one of the most technically advanced museums in Ukraine, as it does not merely offer fascinating exhibits, but interactive displays. Each division in the museum concentrates on a specific time period within the aviation industry and therefore has a wide variety of aircraft and related memorabilia for visitors to explore. Some of the displays focus solely on historical aircraft such as the MiG Jet collection, the Anatra Anasal (1917-1918) and even helicopters that were used during certain wars.

One airplane that stands out, and is the pride and joy of the Ukraine Air Force, is the Tu-22M. This magnificent strategic missile carrier is part of the Backfire Collection of the museum, and its various models are displayed here, as well as their basic armament that includes cruise missiles and warheads. Helicopters and ship based aircraft that is used by the navy is also on display and the fighter planes and attack aircraft complete the collection. In total, there are more than seventy airplanes on display and the museum covers fifteen hectares to house their extensive collection.

The interactive displays allow visitors to take up passenger or crew positions on the aircraft and even get their hands on the controls of one of these mighty machines. Sitting in the cockpit gives the visitor a realistic experience of being a pilot and gives them the opportunity to let their imaginations take them on the adventure of being a fighter pilot or captain of a commercial airliner. The State Aviation Museum is a magnificent attraction that captures the history of aviation in the USSR and Ukraine.

Aviation Museum Opening Hours
April 1st to October 1st : 10.00 to 19.00
Rest of year : 10.00 to 16.00

Aircraft On Display
There are nearly 70 aircraft on display at Kiev's State Aviation Museum from the KB Soviet Period which include - Tupolev, Yakovlev, Ilyushin, Antonov, Sukhoi, Mikoyan-Gurevich, Kamov, Mill and Berev. On display are also rarely found MIG-15UTI and MIG-1M aircraft. The museum site covers 15 hectares

Agent and a light bomber «Anatra-Anasal» entered into history as the first production aircraft, which was manufactured in Ukraine. He created and produced the first in the former Russian Empire specialized aircraft factory in Odessa, which is owned by entrepreneur Arthur Anatre, The classical version of the first biplane took off July 27, 1916. The crew consisted of two - the pilot and his navigator.

Collection of ANOVA is represented by three popular aircraft, which were built a series of huge and fly in all continents. An-2 - This is the first serial machine Oleg Konstantinovich Antonov and the first postwar Ukrainian aircraft. It was established in the late 40-ies. Already by that time, Archaic biplane design was quite good for a small multi-plane: it has provided not only the strength, reliability and efficiency, but also the opportunity to work with smaller runways. An-2 serially produced in many versions over 55 years, which is an absolute world record! In general, the Ukraine, Poland, Russia and China have been built over 16 and a half thousand An-2, which operated in the airlines and the Air Force for more than 80 countries around the world. The veteran continues to fly and still - in China, its mass production is still ongoing, and in Ukraine and Russia to modernize its version of the An-3. The new machine is different turboprop engine and more modern equipment. Collection was gifted to the museum a copy of Kyiv Aircraft Plant GA number 410 and is in a state of flight!

Liner An-24 is the second most popular after the An-2 passenger aircraft in the USSR and produced the greatest series. During the 1962-79 years was built around 1300 AN-24 all models, including 1028 - in Ukraine. Over 240 aircraft have been exported to 27 countries around the world.

AN-24 is designed for regional lines. This second-generation aircraft with two turboprop engines on the lines replaced Aeroflot piston aircraft, the basic parameters of transport has increased exactly twice: antonovskaya machine took twice as many passengers (up to 52-person), and took them twice as fast, but acted out of those same airports.

AN-24 and still remains a major carrier of passenger airlines in Ukraine, CIS countries and China. Therefore, the aircraft in the museum is both a part of the training base of the National Aviation University - it is working with the future aviation professionals.

AN-26 - the most common carrier in the world. It was established in 1968 at the An-24 and produced the Kiev factory "Aviant. During the years 1970-86, it was built nearly 1400 aircraft-type AN-26 of all models of 420 - for export. They are still flying in 37 countries around the world (including 5 of the NATO). At the beginning of 2001, the operation is more than 1100 of these reliable machines.

AN-26 is able to carry up to five and a half tons of cargo (or 40 paratroopers) and bring them up to 2500 kilometers at any time, even in difficult weather conditions. Characteristic structural features of the aircraft are large cargo hatch with a hinged ramp in the rear fuselage, through which operations are loading or unloading (or jettisoning cargo and paratroopers in the air), and the third (auxiliary) turbojet engine

A.S. Yakovlev Design Bureau JSC is a Russian aircraft designer and manufacturer (design office prefix Yak). It was formed in 1934 under designer Alexander Sergeevich Yakovlev as OKB-115 (the design bureau has its own production base at the facility №115), but the birthday is considered on 12 May 1927, the day of maiden flight of the AIR-1 aircraft developed within the Department of Light Aircraft of GUAP (Head Agency of Aviation Industry) under the supervision of A.S. Yakovlev.
During World War II Yakovlev designed and produced a famed line of fighter aircraft.

Collection Design Bureau Mikoyan Gurevich and was the largest in the museum - it presented four generations of combat aircraft.

Established in late 1947, the MiG-15 was the first Soviet fighter jets with the arrow wing and tail. He had a very good design and extremely powerful weapons - three guns, a missile which can destroy any enemy aircraft. "Fifteenth" is the most popular fighting machine, «air-soldier», pilots who sincerely loved and feared enemies. Only during the Korean War, the Soviet pilots are vzbili 1097 aircraft at the cost of 335 of their own machines. MiG-15 military aircraft were in service for more than 50 countries in the world.

The exhibition presents the option UTI MiG-15 that more than a quarter of a century to be a major "transition" training military aircraft of Soviet Air Force. 511 machines of this type were built in Ukraine, in Kharkov aviation.

MiG-17 was modified MiG-15. It was the first time in the Soviet Union had been achieved the speed of sound in horizontal flight. This fighter is also actively fought - in all the Arab-Israeli wars, in Cuba, the Indo-Pakistani conflict, as well as in Vietnam, Africa, etc.

MiG-21 with a delta wing and controlled missile weapons - a famous fighter of the second half of the twentieth century. Everywhere, where had the Soviet and American interests during the Cold War, the MiG-21 was just the iron case, which helped to resolve disputes. Over 30 years in the Air Force of "socialist camp", he "resisted the aggressive NATO bloc." Nevertheless, life is rich with paradoxes: now MiG-21 storozhat sky ... four NATO countries: Poland, Slovakia, Hungary and the Czech Republic! In the collection presented a fighter-interceptor MiG-21PFM and aerial target M-21М (in this version of them turned upon the withdrawal of weapons).

MiG-23 - third-generation machine, and one of the first Soviet aircraft with wing replacement geometry. Such an improved wing flight and tactical characteristics, as given the opportunity to combine high speed with a large range, maneuverability and good takeoff and landing characteristics. The collection consists of three cars from a rather large "family" - front-line fighter, the MiG-23ML, and two established on the basis of his fighter-bomber - the MiG-23BM and MiG-27K. The latter was the most difficult in-class radio electronic equipment and a wide range of precision weapons.
Scout MiG-25RB - the fastest in the world of combat aircraft. He is able to fly three times higher than the speed of sound! The machine is equipped with two aerofotoapparatami and can carry up to four tons of bombs. In the future, the museum plans to create a separate collection of all models of this outstanding aircraft.

MiG-29 - one of the most popular fighter in the world of the fourth generation. Even today he is armed with not only the CIS, but also the German Luftwaffe, the Air Force of Poland, Hungary and another dozen states in the world. In addition to exceptional agility, MiG-29 also has powerful weapons. His missile R-27, manufactured in Kiev on "Art" can attack air targets at distances up to 80 km, ie fight outside the field of view of the pilots! At the same version of the museum are suspended blocks of unguided rockets salvo which is able to transform into a lunar landscape of an enemy ground position in an area of two hectares.

In the near future, most models MIGs are planned to equip weapons, which would add more realism, the museum collection and make it more interesting.

The exhibition presents the most common GMA passenger liners that are created in design bureau, which is almost 50 years, led by the patriarch of Soviet aircraft, Academician Andrei Nikolaevich Tupolev.

Main airliner Tu-104, presented in the exposition of the museum - "double first": it is not only the first Soviet jet passenger aircraft, but also the first serial sample. It was built in 1956 in Ukraine, in Kharkov aviation. This is one of the world kept a copy of the first Tu-104 series.

Tupolev Design Bureau created a jet passenger plane based on a well-developed bombers Tu-16. It took almost unchanged wing, engine, tail and landing gear. The new fuselage was only a far more extensive and fully sealed. In 1956 the passenger liner went to the line - for 2 years before the French and American competitors and improved British "Comets." Therefore, TU-104 is considered the world's first jet aircraft, which is without serious problems began regular passenger service. The motto of the then General Secretary of Communist Party of Soviet Union Nikita Khrushchev's "catch up and overtake" was successfully completed, however, a high price: he inherited a bomber from the lack of profitability, the wrong placement of the crew and limited construction. A "104 and" fairly quickly, in the late 70's, was withdrawn from service.

The airliner Tu-104 flew on many domestic and international routes. Most of them had a long trail Odessa-Vladivostok, where the Tu-104 brought 50 passengers for 17.5 hours. Piston aircraft IL-14 was required three times longer, and it can carry only 26 people.

The first Soviet short jet passenger airliner Tu-134 have created the most popular "creative methods" in the Tupolev OKB - maximum use of units from the previous design.

For all sizes of Tu-104 fell by 20%. Nevertheless, the first version of the machine was a bad one - the plane was inconvenient for passengers and for staff. Interestingly, a more successful model of Tupolev inspired Nikita Khrushchev: during his visit to France he had to fly in an airplane "Caravel" and placing the engines in the rear it is very good - the noise in the cabin virtually no feeling.

Serial production of Tu-134 was also in Kharkov - in the 1966-70 year have been built 78 cars. Tu-134 was the first Soviet aircraft, certified to international standards of airworthiness. He still flies for many airlines in Ukraine and CIS.

In the museum uses two models of aircraft - the third predseriyny Tu-134 and slightly improved Tu-134A.

Medium plane of second-generation Tu-154 created in the late 60's. He has absorbed the best in first-generation aircraft: Tu-104 speed, range and efficiency of IL-18 and the comfort and landing characteristics of the An-10.

Thanks to good aerodynamics and new engines, these cars a long time was the cost of «Aeroflot», therefore, quite briskly walked for export. In the 80 TU-154 was dubbed the "workhorse of Eastern European airports." Over half aeroflotovskih transport is carried out these machines. They take on board up to 176 passengers and transported them to a distance of up to 3900 km. A maximum range (with 164 passengers) reached 5200 km.